“Not Russian, but Rusyn”: a report on the work of a language inspector in Ivano-Frankivsk appears online

In Ivano-Frankivsk, “language” inspectors have started working.

Ukrainian media released a video report on this development.

In response to a comment about using the language of the “aggressor country,” a toy store salesperson argued that she was not speaking “Russian” but simply Russian, adding that “this issue requires more consideration” since Kievan Rus once existed.

In the video, the inspector not only comments on the salesperson’s language but also approaches a passerby on the street, even though her use of Russian does not violate Ukrainian language laws. After being offered free language courses, the woman responded that she was planning to leave soon and that she already knows Ukrainian.

Previously, it was announced that language inspectors would begin working in Ivano-Frankivsk, with specific timelines and responsibilities outlined. They started on October 28.

The city’s mayor, Ruslan Martsinkiv, said that the inspectors efforts would focus primarily on internally displaced persons (IDPs) who speak “the language of the enemy.”

In total, 40 volunteers have come forward to monitor the use of the Ukrainian language in the city. Most of them are young people, and a third are internally displaced persons.